Popped by Vivocity to settle some stuff at Standard Chartered so decided to try my luck at Hong Kong Kim Gary, one of the places that I've been meaning to try, but never had the chance to because of the long queues. Well today I was in luck and I got a seat of my choice without any difficulty. Probably because its only 1215pm?
A friendly waitress showed me to my seat right at the end of the restaurant, which offered an unobstructed view of Sentosa through floor to ceiling windows (well there was this staircase...). As with many other Hong Kong Cafes, the ordering system is somewhat similar. You tick your order on an order menu and pass it to the waitress. I had the set menu B($7.50) of Fried Egg and Minced Beef Rice with a cream soup and Yuan Yang (coffee mixed with tea for an additional 30 cents) as well as an additional order of French Toast.
The soup came served in a cup which I had some trouble adjusting to because I simply can't get used to drinking soup right out of a cup without a spoon. The soup was rather bland and diluted, which didn't really bode well for the upcoming dishes.
Fried Egg and Minced Beef Rice - I had a minor shock when I saw this dish. In my mind I was wondering if they had made a mistake because I couldn't see the beef. However, upon closer inspection, I realised that the beef was minced up and scattered together with the thin layer of tomato sauce, which looked rather pathetic. Imagine my surprise when it actually tasted quite good. The tomato sauce was quite thick and mildly sweet, with the minced beef adding a wee bit of bite to the sauce. The only bummer was that there was no evident beef taste and that portions could have been bigger. As for the fried egg, how bad can a sunny side up get?
I like my French Toasts quite a bit and Kim Gary's rendition was not too bad, but certainly not as good as the one at Hong Kong Cafe. The toast itself was a little on the wet side and the exterior wasn't as crispy as I would have liked it to be. However, the sticking point was the peanut butter filling which I felt was totally unnecessary given that French Toasts don't come with peanut butter. Granted, the peanut butter was smooth, but it masked the "eggy" taste of the French Toast.
Lunch cost $11.30, which is comparatively cheaper and more value for money than the other Hong Kong Cafes that I've tried. The Yuan Yang was decent and the service was not too shabby. Overall, an above average dining experience and I personally feel that the dishes do show more promise than the other Hong Kong Cafes around. I will probably be back again, but not with the long queues.
Had heard about Ding Xian Lou from some of the club members and decided to drop by with my gf for dinner. Located right next to the main entrance of Golden Mile Tower at Beach Road, its claim to fame is its pricing - $4.80 for every dish and that includes prawns, crabs and fish!
The outfit didn't look quite like a restaurant yet it didn't quite suit the cafe tag either. Well it came with a few tanks which had prawns and fishes swimming in what looked like rather murky water. Oh and waitresses too.
Boiled Live Prawn - You must be thinking, $4.80 for prawns is a steal and I'm rather inclined to agree with you. However, for that price, you get 5 average sized prawns which are fresh, but I did get quite turned off by the sight of the live ones swimming around in the filthy tank.
Thai Style Crispy Chicken - This was none other than your common lemon chicken with a few slices of mango, salad and chilli atop. So much for the name I guess. This was pretty alright, but a little less flour coating on the chicken would have been nice.
Fried Kailan - I almost returned this dish to them. I'm not kidding. The vegetables were dark green, which indicated staleness and had holes in the leaves. Maybe I was just being paranoid, but I bit off all the stems and consumed only the leaves in fear of biting into a half asleep worm hidden within. In all honesty, I wouldn't even pay $2 for this dish, much less $4.80 .
Braised Beancurd in Claypot - This dish came across as rather normal and small (I counted 4 slices of beancurd). Only grouse I had was that the beancurd tasted rather flat and didn't have much bite.
The bill came up to about $25 for 2 pax. Sure it isn't an expensive sum to pay, but the quality of food leaves much to be desired. The prawns were probably the only exception, but then again, portions are rather pathetic. In case you are wondering if you could get by by ordering 1 dish by person, the answer is no. Only after consuming our 4 dishes and 2 bowls of rice did my gf and I feel marginally satisfied. That pretty much sums up how big the portions are. Oh and service is rather bad which really doesn't justify the 10% service charge. Inattentive, forgetful, hasty tones and the list goes on. Do give it a thought first before you jump on the bandwagon and try this place out.
Dinner was a simple affair at Nexus Gourmet along Telok Ayer Street. Located just opposite the mosque, Nexus Gourmet blends in well with its surroundings and looks just like any other shophouse along the row. No signages, no newspaper clippings, nothing. One could hardly be blamed for mistaking it for anything but a food outlet. Only through word of mouth will you know that such a place even exists. Well I was one of those who have heard about it and so I was all geared up to try. I had a companion of course, namely, my gf. Only a table was occupied when we got there at about 1845hrs. They had gone out of pizzas, so we had the Rib Eye Steak and BBQ Chicken with a Duck and Mango Salad to share.
I personally found the Duck and Mango Salad a little lacklustre. The slightly spicy sauce did add some zest to the duck, but some pieces of the duck itself tasted rather flat. Other pieces of duck had a very strong fowl aftertaste, which I am immune to, but it was quite pronounced. The shredded vegetables were a nice touch as they were crunchy and provided a little moisture to the salad.
My Rib Eye Steak exceeded my expectations a little. I had ordered it medium rare, but it turned out medium well, which was still fine with me. The meat was still relatively tender and sweet, so no grouses there. The accompanying mushroom sauce was tasty without being too flavourful. Mashed potatoes came as a side and it was moist and smooth. I'm not sure if it came from a ready made package, but if it did, it sure didn't taste like it. My gf's BBQ Chicken tasted a little too sweet for me, but she found it ok. The chicken was cooked just right, not overdone nor undercooked.
Dinner for 2 pax cost $32.80/-, which is quite reasonable. What Nexus Gourmet lacks in its culinary section, it more than makes up for in its service and ambience. Overall, a very decent experience. It could well do with more signages to promote itself and to attract walk in customers. Oh and a wider variety would be greatly appreciated. Happy Nexusing!
Mention Mandai and the first thing that comes to my mind is the zoo and the word "ulu". Never would I have expected to find any restaurants in the area (those in the zoo excluded). So imagine my surprise when I found out about a restaurant, Forrest, nestled in one of the Orchid plantations just off Mandai Road.
Located at the Orchidville Orchid plantation, Forrest caters mainly to private functions like weddings but walk ins are always welcome(provided they are not booked). Step into the restaurant and a totally different world comes into the picture. Flora and Fauna become an integral part of this rainforest themed restaurant, which is complemented by a greenhouse like roof to partially let in sunlight. There's no question about the heat though even in the afternoon as the whole place feels cool with the extensive air conditioning system. Tables are spaced far apart to give that relaxing and spacious feeling. Honestly, words don't do the place justice. You'll have to see it for yourself.
Tofu Treasure - Homemade Tofu with carrots and mushrooms, deep fried and served with sweet Thai chilli dipping - The tofu wasn't exactly as silky as I would have liked it to be, but it was a commendable effort nonetheless. The skin was a little crispy while the inside was relatively smooth. There was a nice slight pan fried taste to it which I personally liked. Couldn't really make out the carrots and mushrooms though.
Knuckleduster - Forrest's signature dish, the Knuckleduster, came highly recommended and the truth was, I was quite impressed by it. Not exactly the bowled over by it kind of impress, but more of the I certainly didn't expect it kind of impress, if you catch my drift. The skin was crispy to a crackle and the meat was tender, fibrous yet not overcooked, as evident by its reddish tinge. Only bone I had with it was that it was quite fatty under the skin, which basically throws any healthy ratings out of the window. On a positive note, the knuckleduster was meant for 2, but my gf and I had a hard time trying to finish it. Oh and the accompanying noodles were a little springy and tasted rather sourish from all the vinegar. Nice taste contrast though.
Chinese Pancake a La Mode with Raspberry Coulis - I ordered this dessert only because it sounded fancy and it was the only dessert which was available. The pancake tasted rather normal and the Raspberry Coulis was nothing more than red bean paste (tasted like it).
$33 for 2 pax in a serene and therapeutic environment such as Forrest is really quite value for money in my humble opinion. Add in the fact that the food is quite decent and service is good and its a clear winner (to me that is). No GST and service charge is definitely a plus here as well.
Went to Golden Mile with my parents last night for steamboat at Thien Kee Steamboat, which was supposedly one of THE places to go for good steamboat. Thien Kee has been around at the basement of Golden Mile Complex for ages and the fading façade is testament to that. When we got there at about 1930hrs, the whole place was packed to the brim with people, with tables being set up in the isles and literally anywhere where there was an empty space, even right up to the lift and stair doors! With a little luck, we managed to get a good seat in the main restaurant itself near the aircon vent. We had the small steamboat order for 3 pax @ $23, 10 sticks of pork Satay, Hainanese Chicken @$8, drinks and chicken rice.
The ingredients for the steamboat were pretty miserable quantity wise. 2 small platters of meat mixed with liver, cockles, fish and fishballs with another 2 platters of vegetables and 2 eggs. Upon cooking, the food tasted normal, nothing fantastic. The Hainanese chicken was a little too cold and bloody for my liking and the chicken rice was a little cold as well. However, it wasn’t very oily which is a plus point to me. The Satay was the highlight, with hardly any visible charred parts, fat and juicy. The gravy was also good, with lots of crushed nuts in it and no visible layer of oil. Comparable to the wonderful Satay gravy that I had in Karjang, (Not sure about the spelling, but its in Malaysia and famous for its Satay) just that the one at Karjang is very much thicker.
Very filling dinner, but at about $42 for 3 pax, not exactly very cheap considering the quantity and quality of food. But then again, it’s not terribly expensive as well. The air conditioning is a good thing, as things tend to get sweaty during steamboats and service is fast and snappy. Although I feel that its way over hyped, I do recommend trying it before it goes the way of the Dodo. And oh yes, listen out for the cries of “Ma Pi Po”, something which I haven’t heard in a while. ;)
1=SGD 0.0587
A friendly waitress showed me to my seat right at the end of the restaurant, which offered an unobstructed view of Sentosa through floor to ceiling windows (well there was this staircase...). As with many other Hong Kong Cafes, the ordering system is somewhat similar. You tick your order on an order menu and pass it to the waitress. I had the set menu B($7.50) of Fried Egg and Minced Beef Rice with a cream soup and Yuan Yang (coffee mixed with tea for an additional 30 cents) as well as an additional order of French Toast.
The soup came served in a cup which I had some trouble adjusting to because I simply can't get used to drinking soup right out of a cup without a spoon. The soup was rather bland and diluted, which didn't really bode well for the upcoming dishes.
Fried Egg and Minced Beef Rice - I had a minor shock when I saw this dish. In my mind I was wondering if they had made a mistake because I couldn't see the beef. However, upon closer inspection, I realised that the beef was minced up and scattered together with the thin layer of tomato sauce, which looked rather pathetic. Imagine my surprise when it actually tasted quite good. The tomato sauce was quite thick and mildly sweet, with the minced beef adding a wee bit of bite to the sauce. The only bummer was that there was no evident beef taste and that portions could have been bigger. As for the fried egg, how bad can a sunny side up get?
I like my French Toasts quite a bit and Kim Gary's rendition was not too bad, but certainly not as good as the one at Hong Kong Cafe. The toast itself was a little on the wet side and the exterior wasn't as crispy as I would have liked it to be. However, the sticking point was the peanut butter filling which I felt was totally unnecessary given that French Toasts don't come with peanut butter. Granted, the peanut butter was smooth, but it masked the "eggy" taste of the French Toast.
Lunch cost $11.30, which is comparatively cheaper and more value for money than the other Hong Kong Cafes that I've tried. The Yuan Yang was decent and the service was not too shabby. Overall, an above average dining experience and I personally feel that the dishes do show more promise than the other Hong Kong Cafes around. I will probably be back again, but not with the long queues.
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The outfit didn't look quite like a restaurant yet it didn't quite suit the cafe tag either. Well it came with a few tanks which had prawns and fishes swimming in what looked like rather murky water. Oh and waitresses too.
Boiled Live Prawn - You must be thinking, $4.80 for prawns is a steal and I'm rather inclined to agree with you. However, for that price, you get 5 average sized prawns which are fresh, but I did get quite turned off by the sight of the live ones swimming around in the filthy tank.
Thai Style Crispy Chicken - This was none other than your common lemon chicken with a few slices of mango, salad and chilli atop. So much for the name I guess. This was pretty alright, but a little less flour coating on the chicken would have been nice.
Fried Kailan - I almost returned this dish to them. I'm not kidding. The vegetables were dark green, which indicated staleness and had holes in the leaves. Maybe I was just being paranoid, but I bit off all the stems and consumed only the leaves in fear of biting into a half asleep worm hidden within. In all honesty, I wouldn't even pay $2 for this dish, much less $4.80 .
Braised Beancurd in Claypot - This dish came across as rather normal and small (I counted 4 slices of beancurd). Only grouse I had was that the beancurd tasted rather flat and didn't have much bite.
The bill came up to about $25 for 2 pax. Sure it isn't an expensive sum to pay, but the quality of food leaves much to be desired. The prawns were probably the only exception, but then again, portions are rather pathetic. In case you are wondering if you could get by by ordering 1 dish by person, the answer is no. Only after consuming our 4 dishes and 2 bowls of rice did my gf and I feel marginally satisfied. That pretty much sums up how big the portions are. Oh and service is rather bad which really doesn't justify the 10% service charge. Inattentive, forgetful, hasty tones and the list goes on. Do give it a thought first before you jump on the bandwagon and try this place out.
See all my pictures here
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I personally found the Duck and Mango Salad a little lacklustre. The slightly spicy sauce did add some zest to the duck, but some pieces of the duck itself tasted rather flat. Other pieces of duck had a very strong fowl aftertaste, which I am immune to, but it was quite pronounced. The shredded vegetables were a nice touch as they were crunchy and provided a little moisture to the salad.
My Rib Eye Steak exceeded my expectations a little. I had ordered it medium rare, but it turned out medium well, which was still fine with me. The meat was still relatively tender and sweet, so no grouses there. The accompanying mushroom sauce was tasty without being too flavourful. Mashed potatoes came as a side and it was moist and smooth. I'm not sure if it came from a ready made package, but if it did, it sure didn't taste like it. My gf's BBQ Chicken tasted a little too sweet for me, but she found it ok. The chicken was cooked just right, not overdone nor undercooked.
Dinner for 2 pax cost $32.80/-, which is quite reasonable. What Nexus Gourmet lacks in its culinary section, it more than makes up for in its service and ambience. Overall, a very decent experience. It could well do with more signages to promote itself and to attract walk in customers. Oh and a wider variety would be greatly appreciated. Happy Nexusing!
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Located at the Orchidville Orchid plantation, Forrest caters mainly to private functions like weddings but walk ins are always welcome(provided they are not booked). Step into the restaurant and a totally different world comes into the picture. Flora and Fauna become an integral part of this rainforest themed restaurant, which is complemented by a greenhouse like roof to partially let in sunlight. There's no question about the heat though even in the afternoon as the whole place feels cool with the extensive air conditioning system. Tables are spaced far apart to give that relaxing and spacious feeling. Honestly, words don't do the place justice. You'll have to see it for yourself.
Tofu Treasure - Homemade Tofu with carrots and mushrooms, deep fried and served with sweet Thai chilli dipping - The tofu wasn't exactly as silky as I would have liked it to be, but it was a commendable effort nonetheless. The skin was a little crispy while the inside was relatively smooth. There was a nice slight pan fried taste to it which I personally liked. Couldn't really make out the carrots and mushrooms though.
Knuckleduster - Forrest's signature dish, the Knuckleduster, came highly recommended and the truth was, I was quite impressed by it. Not exactly the bowled over by it kind of impress, but more of the I certainly didn't expect it kind of impress, if you catch my drift. The skin was crispy to a crackle and the meat was tender, fibrous yet not overcooked, as evident by its reddish tinge. Only bone I had with it was that it was quite fatty under the skin, which basically throws any healthy ratings out of the window. On a positive note, the knuckleduster was meant for 2, but my gf and I had a hard time trying to finish it. Oh and the accompanying noodles were a little springy and tasted rather sourish from all the vinegar. Nice taste contrast though.
Chinese Pancake a La Mode with Raspberry Coulis - I ordered this dessert only because it sounded fancy and it was the only dessert which was available. The pancake tasted rather normal and the Raspberry Coulis was nothing more than red bean paste (tasted like it).
$33 for 2 pax in a serene and therapeutic environment such as Forrest is really quite value for money in my humble opinion. Add in the fact that the food is quite decent and service is good and its a clear winner (to me that is). No GST and service charge is definitely a plus here as well.
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Login to add your comment. Or, Register for an account now. It's free!nice place, cheap and good food, good service... the only thing is that it's super ulu. darn
14 Jan 2008 at 6:44 am
I think they have to be cheap in order to attract people. Hee....
14 Jan 2008 at 9:30 am
The ingredients for the steamboat were pretty miserable quantity wise. 2 small platters of meat mixed with liver, cockles, fish and fishballs with another 2 platters of vegetables and 2 eggs. Upon cooking, the food tasted normal, nothing fantastic. The Hainanese chicken was a little too cold and bloody for my liking and the chicken rice was a little cold as well. However, it wasn’t very oily which is a plus point to me. The Satay was the highlight, with hardly any visible charred parts, fat and juicy. The gravy was also good, with lots of crushed nuts in it and no visible layer of oil. Comparable to the wonderful Satay gravy that I had in Karjang, (Not sure about the spelling, but its in Malaysia and famous for its Satay) just that the one at Karjang is very much thicker.
Very filling dinner, but at about $42 for 3 pax, not exactly very cheap considering the quantity and quality of food. But then again, it’s not terribly expensive as well. The air conditioning is a good thing, as things tend to get sweaty during steamboats and service is fast and snappy. Although I feel that its way over hyped, I do recommend trying it before it goes the way of the Dodo. And oh yes, listen out for the cries of “Ma Pi Po”, something which I haven’t heard in a while. ;)
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